Germinating now- - photos of seedlings

[Gabriela]

Yann and Tristan - the vermiculite it is partially transparent reason why it leads to good results for seeds that require light for germination.

This being said, cold/moist stratification treatment can often replace the need of light for sensitive seeds, a subject not often discussed.
In case of small size, light sensitive seeds sown in late fall/winter - to germinate in the spring, will not always matter what they are covered with.

[Gabriela]

Here are my  Pachyphragma macrophyllum  seedlings, now over two months old.

Nice Leena! I just pricked out mine a couple of day ago, had to let them harden a bit.
More and more species are starting to germinate outdoors now.

Pulsatilla aurea germinating well this year.


Crocus veluchensis

[Leena]

My C.veluchensis is only now starting to come up. I was already worried I had done something wrong, but luckily they are just a bit later.

[Roma]

First time I've grown Cardiocrinum giganteum from seed.  The clone I grow was at the Cruickshank Botanic Garden before I started work there in 1977.  I thought it was time I tried a new generation.  Own seed sown in February 2019.



4 pots of Fritillaries.  The pudica is from wild collected seed.



Primula renifolia



Meconopsis staintonii red form



Salvia sclarea 'Vatican Pink'  looks like the real thing this time. I got Verbascum chaixii for Vatican White

[Gabriela]

My C.veluchensis is only now starting to come up. I was already worried I had done something wrong, but luckily they are just a bit later.

They were slower to start than other spring species, I was also impatient. Some species needs a slightly higher temp. to get starting.

[Gabriela]

I admire your very tidy seedling pots Roma I cannot show many of my seedlings because they came in broken pots, half written labels 
Interesting to note that few of my Fritillaria species are also starting outdoors (including F. pudica).

And just because it was looking cute: this year and last year Trillium luteum seedlings. Every year I only got few seeds so I put them in the same little pot.

[François Lambert]

Pasithea Caerulea germinating - seeds from the last seed exchange - and I have about 100% germination 

I read they are difficult to germinate, should be nicked but that this was more a kind of seed shooting with little result anyway.

So, I decided to soak the seeds.  I noticed they were very hydrophobic and they all floated.  So I added a small drop of hand-dishwash detergent to the water and let the soak until all the seeds had sunk to the bottom of the jar.  I think this took 4 to 5 days.  Then I sowed them about 5 mm deep (I cover seeds with sand) and put the pot in a shady place under shrubs where it is easier to keep the soil moist and the pots don't get cooked by the direct sunlight.  Two months later I have these splendid seedlings.

[Carolyn]

Francois, excellent! The seeds came from my garden, so it's nice to hear of your success. I have found that the seeds germinate easily, but you need to take care not to over-water the young seedlings or they can rot. I think it's helpful that you have covered them with sand.
When I first grew this, I didn't know if it would survive the cold wet of a Scottish winter, so I kept a pot in the unheated greenhouse and planted the rest outside. They have survived for about 5 or maybe 6 years so far! It's one of my favourite flowers - i can't resist a good gentian-blue.

[fermi de Sousa]

Amaryllis seeds have taken a month to start germinating, likewise Nerine masoniorum
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Rhodophiala bifida, sown fresh, germinating after a couple of weeks
cheers
fermi

[Leena]

These germinated already in late April, and are now waiting to be pricked out.
Hacquetia epipactis, sown from my own fresh seeds in July last year. I have tried H.epipactis 'Thor' from seed ex seeds couple of time with no germination  , so I suppose this is one of the species which needs to be sown fresh.

[GordonT]

Leena,  that is a very healthy pot of seedlings! Like you, I have sometimes had trouble, getting dry seed to germinate- in my case, it is Trillium seed. Two years ago, I collected Trillium undulatum seed, for the first time. Given my past failures, what didn't go to the seed exchange, went into a single pot. I now have some work to do!

[hamparstum]

Thank you so much for uploading these images. I'm every day more convinced that I should focus my seed pursuit on those that can be germinated knowingly from dry seeds. Those from certain genera really ask for fresh seed. My listing starts with the following genera: Trillium, Hepatica, Epimedium, Corydalis. These first four just of the top of my head. I'm sure there are many more that others can add and expand it. a listing of that kind can of great value! It reduces the level of frustration and also redirects one's efforts.
Arturo

[Diane Whitehead]

For a number of years there was an Ephemeral Seed Exchange.  I can't remember who organized it.

If you had seeds that required immediate sowing, you would inform the group, and then mail seeds directly to anyone that requested them.

[Leena]

Like you, I have sometimes had trouble, getting dry seed to germinate- in my case, it is Trillium seed. Two years ago, I collected Trillium undulatum seed, for the first time. Given my past failures, what didn't go to the seed exchange, went into a single pot. I now have some work to do!

Gordon, how nice to have such good germination and lots of seedlings of a rare species.

It is frustrating when interesting seeds don't germinate. I think Trilliums are not worst, I have gotten seedlings from seed ex dry Trillium seeds, maybe 50% of them germinate in two years, and some later, but some pots stay empty.